Five tipples to add to your drinks cabinet

1. GOLDEN TREASURE

The ancient Japanese craft of kintsugi (repairing broken crockery with gold) has been brought to liquid life in this artisanal gin. The winner of the gold Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits medal last year, Kintsugi Gin is laced with golden fynbos honey, distilled with drops of orange, and infused with spicy saffron. With a higher alcohol volume of 47% to bring out the sweetness, citrus and spice, it’s truly worth its weight in gold.

2. WINNING WINE

My constant search for the finest Cape wines has led to lasting relationships with many of the country’s leading winemakers. From time to time, I select exclusive parcels of great wines, and in collaboration with the winemaker, release a new addition to my Wade Bales Winemaker Selection Series. Estelle Lourens Cab Sauv (from Uitkyk) is one such example. From the heady 2014 vintage, its dark ruby hue hints at the ripe tannins and intense berry flavours in store. A perfect partner for steaks or rich winter stews.

3. MEZCAL 101

Where tequila is sweet and delicate, mezcal is big, smoky-sweet, chewy, and delicious. Think cooked apples and pears, brown sugar, and sweet potato overlaid with rich, smoky bacon flavours. Artisanally produced Montelobos is an unaged Mezcal Joven, crafted from carefully cultivated, organic agave espadín. It’s slow-roasted and small batch-distilled to achieve a perfect balance of sweetness, wood, and subtle smoke. Serve it neat, with a slice of orange dusted with red chilli salt.

4. SAY OOH-GA-DAL

Ardbeg Uigeadail (pronounced ooh-ga-dal) is a very special whisky indeed. Voted the best Ardbeg whisky by some 120,000 whisky devotees, its unique vatting process ensures a blissful marriage between traditional smoky notes and lush, spiced raisin tones. the result? An utterly silky and brilliantly complex tipple, crowned world whisky of the year by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2009.

5. DUVEL TRIPEL HOP CASHMERE

Forget cashmere coats, Cashmere hops are far more desirable, and much rarer too. A new generation of hop, beer sommeliers have been calling it the “rising star” for some time now. As Duvel’s master brewer Hedwig Neven explains, “It wasn’t easy for us to get our hands on Cashmere hops. Because it’s a new variety, there is currently only a limited stock available. It's bold, innovative, and absolutely worth the wait.”

Strong, blonde and intensely hopped, this limited-edition Tripel Hop Cashmere will only be available while stocks last, alongside Duvel’s other Tripel Hop regulars.

• From the August edition of Wanted 2019.